Everywhere In My Mind REWRITE
by moonman
Summary: Two separate lives engulfed in complicated relationships come together in what could be the perfect storm of circumstances that lead to a relationship that will go the distance.At least Haley thinks so as she plays matchmaker hoping that once together,their separate lives and complicated relationships are exactly what the other needs to fill the missing spot in each of their lives.
1. Go forward one chapter

Because I don't quite have all of this figured out yet, chapter one is currently the next chapter, once chapter two is ready, I think everything will be organized properly. :)


	2. Chapter 1

Everywhere In My Mind

Chapter One:

"Ugh!" Brooke exclaimed slamming her phone down in frustration.

Alyssa looked into the kitchen and raised an eyebrow at her mother. "Mom?" she asked cautiously.

Brooke wiped under her eyes and sniffled. "Yeah?" she asked with a smile?

Alyssa frowned, "What's the matter?"

Brooke tucked some hair behind her daughter's ear. "Nothing for you to worry about, Aly." She assured her ten year old with a genuine smile.

Alyssa nodded.

"Where is your sister?" Brooke asked as she turned the stovetop on.

Alyssa shrugged, "I don't know, maybe still asleep."

Brooke looked at Alyssa and they both laughed, it was nearly nine in the morning, Alyssa had surely been up for over an hour. "I highly doubt that babe," Brooke smiled.

Crying cut through the air coming from the back of the house. "Found her," Brooke said shaking her head. "Mackenzie, what did you do?" she asked walking through the hallway toward the crying.

Mackenzie poked her head out of her bedroom. "I didn't do anything, Momma," she said, her brown waves swishing from side to side.

Brooke sighed and walked into her 18-month old's room. "Hi buddy," she smiled seeing her son.

"Mama," he whimpered, his arms outstretched toward his mother.

"Oh come here, you poor thing," Brooke said picking Collin up out of his bed.

Collin laid his head on his mother's shoulder as she carried him with her back to the kitchen.

"Mackey, breakfast in five," Brooke said knocking on her middle child's door.

"Kay!" four and a half year old Mackenzie yelled from inside her room.

"Hey mom," Alyssa asked eating her pancakes that Brooke made.

Brooke looked up from helping Collin, "Yeah?"

"When's daddy coming?"

Mackenzie's head shot up, her eyes wide.

Brooke glanced at the clock. "He said he'd be a little late today… probably around eleven."

"Eleven?!" Mackenzie exclaimed dramatically.

Collin looked over at his sister, his brows furrowed in confusion.

"Mack, please don't yell," Brooke pleaded.

_FLASHBACK_

"_Please don't yell," Brooke pleaded, tears welling up in her eyes._

"_I want. A divorce." He repeated._

"_Why?" Brooke asked, she thought her family was doing really well, she thought she and Chase were really in love._

"_Because! This!" He yelled motioning between the two of them. "Every night, every single night we're doing this, we fight…"_

"_We can fix that, Chase, please…"_

"_I just… I'm not in love with you anymore, Brooke. We're not the people we were when we got married."_

_Brooke felt like the wind had been knocked out of her. "What is that supposed to mean, Chase?"_

_Chase looked up and right into Brooke's eyes. "I've been sleeping with Michelle."_

_Her face paled immediately and she swallowed hard as she sat down on their bed. Brooke stared forward, her chin quivering. She ran her tongue against her canines, "I'm pregnant."_

_Chase's face fell. "What?"_

_Brooke looked at him, her hazel eyes clouded with tears. "Two months."_

"_Fuck," Chase ran his hands through his hair. _

_Brooke nodded, "Yeah…"_

_Chase set next to Brooke, placing his hand on her leg rubbing her knee._

_Brooke snapped her head to look at him, her eyes wide with disgust. "Don't," she said shaking her head. "You don't get to do that anymore,"_

"_Brooke. You're _pregnant_."_

"_And you're sleeping with Michelle."_

"_But - -"_

"_And you're not in love with me anymore…" Brooke said still a little spacey._

"_I… Brooke…"_

"_You need to go," she said looking at him, her tears long stopped by now._

"_Brooke, don't do this!"_

"_Chase, you need to go." She said seriously._

_Chase nodded. "Okay," he said and grabbed a bag and packed clothes to take with him. "I'll be back to get the rest of my stuff tomorrow."_

_Brooke nodded, "Someone will be here…" she said and walked out of the room walking to her 2 and a half year old's room making sure she was still asleep. She sat down on the floor in Mackenzie's room and just cried._

_End Flashback_

"Mommy!" Mackenzie yelled running into Brooke's office.

Brooke looked up from her computer, "What, baby girl?"

"Um, 'Lyssa sticked her tongue out at me!"

"Sticked?" Brooke asked holding back her laughter.

Mackenzie wrinkled her forehead. "Mommy!" she stomped her foot.

"I'm sorry Mack, tell her to come here,"

Mackenzie smiled satisfied then ran to get her sister.

Alyssa walked into the room, Collin in her arms. "What?" she asked.

"Did you stick your tongue out at your sister?" Brooke asked not looking away from her computer screen this time.

"Mama!" Collin giggled.

Brooke turned around at the sound of her son's voice, "Buddy," she smiled.

Collin struggled to get out of his sister's arms wanting to go to his mommy.

Alyssa sat him on the floor and he made his way to Brooke, the brunette pulling him into her lap. "Did you, kiddo?"

"Yes."

"Alyssa, you can't do that!" Brooke said giving her daughter a look. "She's starting school soon, she's going to do everything you do."

"Fine," Alyssa groaned crossing her arms over her chest.

"Thank you," Brooke smiled.

Alyssa nodded toward Collin, "Want me to take him?"

Brooke looked down at her son and shook her head, "Nah, he's fine." She said with a smile. "Love you, Al."

"Love you too mom,"

"Dad's here!" Mackenzie alerted the whole house.

Brooke gasped at Collin. "Daddy?" she asked getting up walking to the front door, which Mackenzie had already opened.

"Hi Daddy," Alyssa smiled carrying Collin and her bags' out to the car.

"Hey Princess," Chase kissed the top of Alyssa's head. "Where's Mackenzie?" he asked looking around the front of the house.

"No telling," Brooke said as she buckled Collin into his seat.

"Okay…" Chase sounded confused as he got into his SUV.

"Any day now, Mack!" Brooke yelled.

Mackenzie came strolling out of the front door, her brightly colored overnight bag over her shoulder.

"I thought you were ready?" Brooke asked picking her up

"I was… but, mommy, my tummy hurts, can I stay here instead?" Mackenzie whispered into Brooke's ear.

Brooke kissed Mackenzie's forehead, "No honey, you need to go with Daddy,"

Mackenzie buried her head into Brooke's neck.

"Come on," Brooke peeled her tiny arms from around her neck. She buckled Mackenzie in and kissed her forehead. "Love you,"

"Love you too," Mackenzie pouted.

"Al, make sure they're good?"

"Got it," Alyssa threw a thumbs up to her mother.

"Alright kids, be good, have fun. I love you all," Brooke said through Alyssa's rolled down window.

"I love you the mostest, momma!" Mackenzie yelped from the backseat.

Brooke winked at Alyssa, "Have fun," she whispered, Alyssa nodded. Brooke walked over to Chase's window, "Hey, Collin's been real clingy lately and Mackenzie says she's not feeling well,"

"They're my kids too, Brooke, I think I know them a little better than you give me credit for."

Brooke rolled her eyes and backed away from the car as Chase pulled out of the driveway. "Bye guys!" she waved as her kids drove off. She walked back into her house and plopped down on her sofa. "Four days," she said to herself as her heart broke a little more each time her babies left.

"Daddy, do you love me?" Callie asked.

Lucas raised his eyebrow at the question, "What?"

Callie rolled her eyes, "Do you love me?"

Lucas laughed, "Of course I love you. But why- -"

"That's what I thought, thanks, daddy! Bye!" Callie chirped as quickly as she had asked the question, she hung up the phone.

Lucas laughed at his daughter once again. He returned his phone to his desk and immediately began typing again. The silence was broken once again by his ringing phone. Lucas slid his finger across the screen answering the phone and selected the speakerphone option "Hello?" the smile Callie gave him was still evident in his voice.

"What's got you in such a good mood?"

"I'm sorry?" confusion was now sprawled across his face.

"I know you, Luke, you're smiling."

"Our daughter." He said simply, the smile no longer evident in his voice. "What do you want, Peyton?"

"Can't I just call to talk?"

"No, no Peyton, you can't…" Lucas rubbed his forehead in frustration.

"Oh come on Luke,"

"Peyton, don't…"

"Lucas Scott, you're my husband, we're allowed to call each other to just talk."

"Ex-husband, Peyton, I have been for almost six years now…"

Peyton sighed, "Luke…"

"What do you need, Peyton? I'm trying to work."

"My washing machine broke so I bought a new one… I was wondering if you could maybe come over and hook it up for me?"

Lucas sighed and hit 'save' on the file he was working on.

"Ya know what, Lucas, nevermind! Sorry to be such an inconvenience! Jesus."

Lucas rolled his eyes, "Peyton, stop it." He said grabbing his keys. "I'll be right over."

Peyton breathed relieved. "Thank you," she said honestly.

"See you in a few minutes," Lucas said then hung up. While going to Peyton's wasn't something Luke completely _wanted_ to do, his daughter lived there, so he knew he needed to. Pulling into the driveway of the all-too-familiar house, Lucas was quickly greeted by twiggy little arms flailing around at him; Callie, he smiled. She looked just like her mother, all legs, thin as a board and blonde curls bouncing around her neck.

"Daddy! What are you doing here?" Callie asked running up to her dad's car.

Lucas scooped her up and threw her over his shoulder smacking her rear-end a few times.

"Stop!" Callie squealed wiggling out of his arms.

"I've gotta help mom with something. Is that okay with you, missy?"

Callie laughed "Yes" she smiled sarcastically.

"Good," he looked her up and down, "now go put some clothes on."

Callie's eyebrows pulled together "What?" she asked looking at her cut up jean shorts.

"Your pockets are longer than your shorts!" Lucas pointed out. "And I can see your bra, why is it hot pink?"

"Oh my God…" Callie was bright red with embarrassment, "Dad," she whined and stomped up the front steps.

"What?" Lucas laughed.

"Ugh, everyone wears this! It's hot!"

Lucas' eyes grew huge, he motioned to what she was wearing, "That's not hot, Callie! Jeans and turtle necks, those are hot."

"Not my outfit!" Callie slammed her palm against her forehead. "Outside!" she threw her arms up in the air.

"Then stay in the house." Lucas suggested as the two of them walked inside.

"Mom! Dad's here!" Callie yelled kicking her shoes off at the door.

Peyton came out of the laundry room, her hair in a messy ponytail, and for a second, Lucas forgot why he and the beautiful woman in front of him ever split up.

"Are you gonna help me, or…?" she slurred.

'Oh yeah, that's why.' Lucas thought with an eye roll. "Been drinking?" he whispered as he walked past Peyton, their shoulders brushing the others.

Peyton scoffed, almost offended, "Why do you care?"

"Because my daughter lives here, and I know how you can get - -"

"Oh stop it, Lucas! She's here with me four out of seven days a week and she's fine."

Lucas rolled his eyes.

"Besides, a few drinks never hurt anyone."

"A few drinks never means a few drinks for you."

Peyton picked up her glass and took another drink. "Can we just fix this thing, please?"

Lucas could sense the irritation in her voice. "You do realize I'm doing you a favor, right?" he said shaking his head as he grabbed the instructions.

Two hours later Lucas was finished, and Peyton was drunk.

"How many glasses did you have before I got here?" Lucas asked.

Peyton was sitting on top of the dryer, she shrugged. "A few,"

"Peyton," Lucas easily took her glass away from her. "I'm gonna take you upstairs. Then I'm going to take Callie home with me, okay?"

"It's… it's not your day, Lucas." Peyton said slowly as Lucas helped her up the stairs.

"Yeah, that's okay. You need to sleep this off."

Peyton collapsed into her oversized bed, "Thanks," she whispered.

Lucas pulled the blankets up around her tiny blonde frame and moved the trashcan next to the bed knowing she was going to need it later.

"Lucas," Peyton got his attention before he left the room.

He turned around to face her. "Yeah?"

"I love you," she breathed.

Lucas sighed. "No you don't, Peyton…" he replied, but Peyton was already out cold.

_FLASHBACK_

"_But Luke…" Peyton said holding on to the counter not being able to maintain her own balance. "I love you," she said pointing her finger at her husband._

"_No you don't, Peyton!" Lucas yelled shaking his head. "You, you love this!" he said as he dumped another bottle of Vodka down the sink._

_Peyton rolled her eyes, "You don't know what you're talking about," she said shaking her head._

"_I don't, Peyton?" Lucas slammed his hand down on the counter startling his wife. "When was the last time you ate anything?" he asked bluntly. When Peyton was drinking she stopped eating and her already thin body looked nearly emaciated. It broke Lucas' heart the first time he noticed, but after multiple failed attempts to help her, his heartache turned to frustration and disappointment. _

"_Give me that back, Luke" Peyton reached for the nearly empty bottle in her husband's hands._

_Lucas pulled back, "No. Peyton, you need to go upstairs and sleep this off."_

_Furry filled Peyton and she was visibly shaking. "I am not Callie, you don't get to tell me what to do!" and again she reached for the bottle._

_Lucas pulled back and the bottle fell to the floor shattering around his and Peyton's feet. "Dammit!" Lucas cursed. "Don't move, Peyton" she was barefoot and shards of glass blanketed the floor around her._

_Peyton slid to the floor pulling her knees to her chest and began sobbing._

"_Mommy?" a six year old Callie asked with tears in her eyes clinging to her teddy bear. _

_Peyton didn't respond, engulfed in her own tears._

_Callie, also barefoot, started padding toward her upset mother. "Mommy?" she asked walking closer._

"_Callie!" Lucas exclaimed walking back into the kitchen seeing his daughter about to walk right onto the broken glass surrounding her mother._

_Callie immediately stopped hearing Lucas say her name. "Daddy?"_

"_Don't move, Cal, there's broken glass on the floor baby girl." He walked over to her scooping her up in his arms. "Lemme see your feet,"_

_Callie kicked up her feet so Lucas could inspect them. After brushing them off, Lucas exhaled seeing Callie had no cuts or glass stuck in her feet. "Go back to bed, monster, I'll be there in a minute."_

"_But… mommy…" she looked around her dad trying to see her mom._

"_She's okay, come on, Cal," Lucas picked her up and began walking up the stairs to lay her back down._

_Callie's chin was quivering still after Lucas laid her back down in her bed._

"_Stay here, I'll be back, okay?"_

_Callie nodded, her eyes wide with worry, and Lucas' heart shattered. He kissed her forehead, flipped her light off and closed the door behind him trudging back to the kitchen to deal with Peyton. _

"_Peyton, get up." Lucas said walking back into the kitchen._

"_Go to hell." Peyton glared looking up at her husband._

_Lucas ignored her comment and went to help her up remembering she was barefoot and surrounded by glass. _

"_Don't touch me." Peyton said in a voice Lucas hardly recognized._

_Lucas ran his hands through his hair and sat down on the floor next to her. "Peyton… you need help."_

_Peyton looked at Lucas and drew her arm back to hit Lucas but he grasped her wrist before she struck him._

_Lucas looking into Peyton's clouded eyes, "I want a divorce."_

_Peyton exhaled sharply and dropped her arm seeming to sober up more than a little. She looked forward, completely shell-shocked, not saying a word._

"_Peyton," Lucas tried._

"_Me too," she whispered turning to look at him._

_END FLASHBACK_

'We just fell out of love,' Lucas said to himself as he walked out of Peyton's room. "Callie!" Lucas yelled for his daughter.

"Yeah?" Callie asked poking her head out of the kitchen.

"You're coming with me, okay?"

"Why?" she asked confused.

"Because mom's not feeling well," Lucas lied like he so often did to try to protect his only daughter.

"Okay," Callie smiled and followed her dad out of the house.

Brooke sat on her couch with a cup of coffee relaxing in her silent, empty home. She groaned as her phone began ringing breaking the comfortable silence. "Hello?"

"Brooke!"

She smiled, "Hi, Haley."

"What are you doing tonight?" Haley asked, full of enthusiasm.

"Laundry." Brooke replied with a shrug.

Haley laughed. "Brooke, you're 36, you do not need to be doing laundry on Friday nights."

"You do know you're married, right?" Brooke smiled.

"I mean, I was just saying girls' night, dinner and a movie kinda thing, but what are you thinking?" Haley teased.

"Ya know, I was thinking Peaches sounds pretty good," Brooke played right along.

"Oh yeah, I mean, I just got off from there at like seven this morning, so…"

Neither girl could keep up the joke any longer and they both burst out laughing.

"No, but really, Hales, I do have like three more loads of laundry to do tonight."

Haley frowned. "Okay…"

"Oh, hang on, I've got another call… it's Chase, can I call you back?"

"Absolutely. Love you."

"Thanks Hales, love you, bye." Brooke clicked over to the other line. "Hello?"

"Brooke," Chase said panicked.

"What?" Brooke immediately reciprocated Chase's panic.

"She won't stop,"

"Stop what?" Brooke asked confused.

"Vomiting," Chase said timidly.

Brooke rolled her eyes. "Let me talk to her," she said knowing exactly which daughter Chase was referring to.

"Mommy," Mackenzie cried into the phone.

"Mack," Brooke said calmly.

"I miss you," she bawled.

"Aw, baby girl, I miss you too." Brooke said honestly.

"I don't feel good, momma." Mackenzie was breathing fast.

"I know baby, but you need to calm down, and just lay down, okay? It's already late, honey."

Mackenzie sniffled, trying to hold back her tears. "Okay,"

"Take care of your brother for me,"

"Yes ma'am," she nodded.

"I love you, Mackenzie."

"I love you too, mommy."

"Bye sweetie,"

"Bye." Mackenzie said and hung up.

Brooke sighed and took a drink of her coffee dialing Haley's number.

"Everything okay?" Haley asked immediately.

Brooke swallowed her drink. "Let's go out," she said.

Haley smiled, "Yeah?"

Brooke nodded, "Half an hour?"

"I'll be there."

Brooke ran her hands through her hair and went to her room to begin getting ready.

Brooke took a drink of her wine as Haley looked at her intently. "What?" she laughed.

"I have the perfect person for you…"

Brooke shook her head, "Haley, I - -"

"Need to start dating again, I know. I have the perfect person for you."

Brooke took another drink, "Who?" she asked caving.

Haley put her glass down and shook her head, "Not yet,"

"What?" Brooke laughed

"You can't meet him yet… it's… not the right time just yet,"

Brooke looked at Haley puzzled, "Okay…"

"You have to trust me when it is, okay?"

Brooke paused swirling her wine around in her glass. She looked up at Haley, "Alright," she finally agreed.

Haley smiled knowing what a perfect couple the two would be… once it was the right time.

"I just don't know what to do, man," Lucas said into the phone, his daughter sound asleep, her head resting in his lap.

"Well… you did the right thing taking Callie out of there,"

Lucas nodded, "Yeah."

Nathan paused for a moment then continued. "So here's a curve ball for ya, do you want to start dating again?"

Lucas pondered the question and looked down at his sleeping daughter. "Do I want to spend the rest of my life with someone, yes, of course. But… I have a kid, Nate, and a pretty complicated past,"

Nathan scoffed, "What's complicated about it?"

"Oh, I don't know, maybe the alcoholic ex-wife?"

Nathan shook his head, "Lucas, I hate to break it to you, but she's not your responsibility anymore."

"I know, but…"

"Lucas, come on. There's this girl, and she's perfect for you. She's gorgeous, and sweet, you should at least give it a shot."

"Who is it?"

"You can't meet her yet… the time's gotta be right,"

Lucas furrowed his brows, "Alright… whatever that means,"

"Trust us, dude."

"Us?"

"Me and Haley,"

Lucas laughed, "Haley has something to do with this?"

Nathan too laughed, "Did you really think this was all my doing?"

Lucas nodded. "You know what, okay. I'm down. You two just let me know what 'the time is right' for me and this girl to meet." He said being a smart-ass toward his brother.

"You're real funny man."

Lucas shrugged, "What can I say? Oh, hey, be sure to tell my mystery person that!"

Nathan laughed, "Will do. Put your kid to bed," he smiled.

"Goodnight, Nate,"

"Night, Luke."

Lucas looked down at his sleeping daughter, she was his whole world… but he was more than willing to meet this 'perfect someone.'

Haley walked into the completely dark house at nearly midnight, her heels in her hands and her once wavy hair that hung past her shoulders was now in a messy bun atop her head. She quietly tip-toed through the house trying not to wake anyone up knowing the fight Nathan had to have gone through getting them back to sleep after she left earlier that night. She walked past Austin's room and cracked open the door peering in at her son.

"Austin!" she gasped seeing the covers of his bed lifted up and a light shining from under them.

The light immediately clicked off and the covers flattened back out.

Haley walked to her son's bed and pulled the covers from over his head. "What are you doing?" she asked; her eyes wide in confusion.

Austin pulled his phone out from under his covers, his eyes downcast as he showed it to his mother.

Haley sighed, "No phones in bed, you know that. What were you doing?"

"Sorry," the eleven year old boy replied.

Haley kissed his forehead, sliding the phone in her back pocket. "I love you, my boy."

"Love you too, mom."

"Get to sleep." She said and closed the door behind her. She shook her head at her son, not even a teenager and already being sneaky. She walked across the hall to Skylar's room. She smiled seeing her five year old sound asleep, a bear under one arm, a dog under the other, her caramel curls sprawled across her pillow. Haley kissed the top of Skylar's head and silently slipped out of her room.

The blue light glowing from the master bedroom told Haley that Nathan was still awake and watching TV. She smiled as she opened the door to the bedroom walking in.

"Hey beautiful," Nathan said sounding groggy.

Haley dropped her shoes at the door and began unzipping her jeans, "Hey," she smiled.

"How was dinner?" Nathan asked wrapping his arms around Haley's waist as she brushed her teeth.

"Good, really good, I talked to Brooke!" Haley completely lit up as she spoke mumbled by her toothbrush.

"And?"

Haley finished brushing her teeth and the two of them got into their bed. "She was kind of hesitant at first, but I think she's gonna do it! Did you talk to Luke?"

Nathan nodded. "He said to just keep him posted on when they can meet."

Haley's smile grew exponentially. "They're perfect for each other, Nate, I really think so."

Nathan kissed Haley's forehead. To see her get so excited over making other people happy made Nathan proud to call her his wife. "I love you, Haley Scott."

Haley snuggled into Nathan's chest. "I love you too."

"Get some sleep you crazy matchmaker."

Again, Haley's face lit up thinking about the amazing couple she was creating. "Goodnight, Nate."

"Goodnight, babe."

End Chapter One.

Brooke and Chase:  
Alyssa: age 10, birthday May 9th -5 ½ when Mackenzie was born, 8 when Chase left, 8 ½ when Collin was born.  
Mackenzie: age 4 ½, birthday November 4th -3 when Collin was born, 2 ½ when Chase left.  
Collin: age 18 months, birthday December 12th –Brooke 2 months pregnant when Chase left.

Lucas and Peyton:  
Callie: age 12, birthday April 12th -6 when Peyton and Lucas divorced.

Nathan and Haley:  
Austin: age 11, birthday July 7th -6 when Skylar was born.  
Skylar: age 5, birthday June 29th.

So that was the first re-write of the story. I'm kind of changing things a little bit, and I'm adding more of what I saw throughout the comments (which I re-read all of before starting the re-write). Anyway, I hope you guys enjoyed this more than the first time ;) or at least a little bit. Either way, let me know!  
Also, I will be taking down the other chapters at this time because like I said I am changing things starting now, so I don't want any new readers and re-readers to potentially read ahead and the story be different.

Okay, well, I hope you guys enjoyed it, it's rough, I know, it's been years since I've written anything like this, so be brutal in your comments because I thoroughly want to improve. Love you all, thanks for taking the time to read (and reply if you do! :D)

xoxo  
manda 3


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